Günther defends himself against Horn: Social media threatens democracy!

Günther defends himself against Horn: Social media threatens democracy!

Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther has made new waves in a heated discussion about the role of social media and its influence on democracy. At a CDU event in Neumünster, he spoke out clearly against the criticisms of Marion Horn, editor-in-chief of the Bild newspaper. This had described him as a greater threat to democracy than the AfD, which Günther firmly rejected. “There is something to be said,” said the CDU politician, who emphasized the need to seriously discuss the dangers posed by harmful online content and hate speech. This reports kn-online.de.

Criticism of media standards

Günther is just as athletic as his argument in his reflection on the quality of journalism. He calls for a more intensive debate about standards in the media. “The media landscape has changed,” he explained, and psychological studies show that social media influences both opinion formation and political participation. At the same time, it is bitter that false information that can damage democracy continues to spread. In the ZDF program “Markus Lanz” he described the online portal “Nius” as an “enemy of democracy”, a statement that caused a lot of excitement in the following weeks.

The Prime Minister has been in office for eight and a half years and has now proven that he has a good knack for working with various democratic parties, initially in a three-party coalition and currently with the Greens. Another topic that Günther put on the agenda is the ban on social networks for children and young people in order to protect them from digital hatred and manipulation.

Political tensions in the digital age

The political discussion in which Günther takes part reveals a comprehensive change that goes far beyond Schleswig-Holstein. How zeit.de analyzed, the Reckluse is the debate about the credibility and responsibility of media and social platforms. In fact, it turns out that more and more people, especially the younger generation, are becoming informed via social media. Around half of first-time voters in 2021 mainly obtained their information from these channels.

However, the question is: What is the quality of this information? According to a report by the Federal Agency for Civic Education, it shows that social media not only acts as a platform for unique perception, but also represents a double-edged sword. Protests have been mobilized energetically through these channels in the past, but at the same time their use leads to a fragmentation of society. While 88% of 14 to 29 year olds use social networks weekly, the figure for those over 70 is only 10%.

Skepticism towards social media is also part of the current discussion. Critics warn of insufficient political participation and increasing social division, as bpb.de makes clear. The challenge is to develop media literacy and regulate social networks so that they not only promote democratic values, but also break through incorporated, anti-democratic currents.

In the midst of all these tensions, Günther's appeal remains clear: democracy is worth defending - and that applies not only to politics, but also to each of us who are active in this interconnected world.